Information Relating to Negative Uniform Allowance Amounts Appearing on the 2012 Form W-2’s for Certain Employees in Bargaining Units 21, 31 and 91

Purpose

To remind agencies of the 2012 processing of retroactive increases and ending of Uniform Allowance for Bargaining Units 21, 31 and 91, and to explain the appearance of a negative amount under code UTA (Uniform or Tool Allowance) in Box 14 (Other) of affected employees’ 2012 Form W-2’s.

Affected Employees

Employees in Bargaining Units 21, 31 and 91 who had Uniform Allowance payments ended and moved into base salary effective in 2011 but processed in 2012.

Effective
Date(s)

Immediately.

Background

During the 2012 implementation of the Agreements between New York State and Bargaining Units 21, 31, and 91, Uniform Allowance payments were to be ended as a separate payment effective in 2011, increased, and then moved into affected employees’ base salary.

To process the movement of Uniform Allowance to base salary, OSC inserted a negative amount equal to what had previously been paid in 2011 using the same dates and Earnings Codes as the original payments. The new 2011 rate for Uniform Allowance was then added to affected employees’ base salaries as called for in each Agreement.

The payroll system calculated a negative amount for the Uniform Allowance being ended and a corresponding positive retroactive amount of base salary.

Since there were no 2012 earnings for the Uniform Allowance ended in 2011 but processed in 2012, negative amounts will appear under code UTA in Box 14 (Other) of affected employees’ 2012 Form W-2’s.

Please refer to the following Payroll Bulletins for affected Earnings Codes and amounts:

Payroll Bulletin No. 1141, released on March 22, 2012, Implementation of the 2005-2011 Retroactive Salary Increases and the ending of or change to certain other payments for members of the Agency Police Services Unit (APSU) Represented by the Police Benevolent Association of New York State, Inc. (PBANYS)(BU31)

Payroll Bulletin No. 1160, released May 21, 2012, Implementation of the General Salary and Other Increases, and the Ending of and Changes to Certain Other Payments for Non-Arbitration Eligible Employees in the Security Services Unit (SSU) Represented by NYSCOPBA (BU21)

Payroll Bulletin No. 1173, released July 20, 2012, Implementation of the Retroactive General Salary and Other Increases, and the Ending of and Changes to Certain Other Payments for Non-Arbitration Eligible Employees in the Security Supervisors Unit (SSPU) Represented by Council 82 (BU91)

Agency Actions

Inform affected employees as necessary.

Questions

Questions about this bulletin may be directed to the Payroll Earnings mailbox.